


For truly I love none

by Idzzdi



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - High School, Falling In Love, First Date, Fluff, High School, Love, M/M, Romance, Shakespeare, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-15
Updated: 2013-02-15
Packaged: 2017-11-29 10:21:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/685847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Idzzdi/pseuds/Idzzdi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis Tomlinson is that one kid every high school has. The popular one, everyone wants to be friends with and who gets whatever he want. But how will he react when he wants someone who has no interest in him whatsoever?</p>
            </blockquote>





	For truly I love none

**Author's Note:**

> It’s that high school AU every good fanfic writer has to have done at least once. This time it is told from the jock’s point of view though, not the shy kid’s one.

Louis Tomlinson. Everyone knew him. He was that one popular kid at school that everyone wanted to be. Or to be friends with. Or at least to be seen with. Acknowledged by in any way. He was the king of the school and everyone liked Louis. Everyone expect Louis himself.

People made him mad. Society made him mad. While being the pretty boy was fun most of the time, it made things so much harder at other times. For some reason people thought that good looks ruled out any sorts of trouble and sorts of problems you might have. Louis hated how people never bothered asking how he truly was feeling. They didn't ask how he was coping with his parents divorce or his struggle with what to do after school. Acting was his one big dream and be was good at it, he was the star of every play the school did, but he couldn't see it as his future. He wanted something stable, something that made good and save money. Something that could provide a family. Or at least a husband.

That's right - a husband. Up to this day Louis regretted ever getting pissed out of his mind at a party almost a year ago and letting the alcohol rule over him. It wasn't like he hadn't known that he was gay, but nobody else really had known up until then. Though being caught making out in a closet only semi-dressed with a bloke from another school made it more or less pointless to lie about his sexuality anymore. And Louis didn't mind actually. His parents were pretty acceptant and so were his few close friends. Everybody else's thoughts weren't of any interest to Louis, though he secretly hoped that maybe being gay would make him less popular.

And it worked. At first.

People were surprised, shocked so to say. Louis Tomlinson, the popular Tommo, was gay all the sudden? Fancying guys? Making out with blokes? But Louis just shrugged it off, nodding in annoyance when people asked about it and he was pulled away by Zayn most of the time, one of his few close friends. His only really close friend now that Louis thought about it. Of course they all said they didn't mind Louis being gay, but when it came to actually standing up for him a lot of people backed out whatsoever and Zayn ended up being the last one. The only one.

But as things always were in high school nothing really stayed the same for a long time. Because Louis was still unbelievably attractive, funny and his sass made him king of the school regardless of his homosexuality. In a way people even wanted him back, starting to talk to him again after only a couple of days of 'being disgusted'. But not only was he back to being the center of general attention, he was also number one on anyone's dating list. It seemed like boys were coming out and turning even gay for him, whilst girls had made it their task to change Louis' mind.

And while a lot of people would have considered such behavior very flattering and maybe even intriguing, Louis hated it with passion. He felt neither flattered nor intrigued but offended and even though he never would have admitted it things people said made him feel like the school's slut. He didn't want people to want him, because he didn't want them. It wasn't like his school was particularly small but none of the boys there were really his type. At least none of the boys that actually talked to him.

Louis had had a crush on a boy two years younger than him for quite a while now. They had history class together and on the first day of class Louis had been running late, sitting down next to the boy quietly, regretting to make a bad first impression on the new teacher he was going to have for the rest of the year. But his worries started to fade away when he started to realize that the boy next to him – unlike any other person in the school – seemed to have no interest in talking to Louis whatsoever and kept quiet all hour long. Louis brushed it off, thinking the boy must have been in a bad mood or maybe just shy, but when he came to class the next time and the boy had moved his seat to the far end of the class room, as far away from Louis as possible he had caught Louis' attention.

“Who's that?” Louis had asked Zayn a few days later at lunch nodding towards the curly haired boy from his history class. Zayn looked up at the boy and frowned a little.

“'S name's Harry. He sings for the plays sometimes. Is in a band or something.” He muttered out between bites of his sandwich. “Why? He's been bugging you?” Louis shook his head quickly.

“No, no. He's just in my history class. Thought I never saw him before..”

“And now you got a mancrush on him or what?” Zayn asked mockingly and Louis blushed, denying it right away because that had been way before the time that Zayn found out about Louis actually being gay and developing more that just a little mancrush for Harry.

Louis snuck around a bit, trying to gather as much information as possible about the boy without getting his attention all that much. Because whilst Louis usually had no problem with being the center of attention or getting to know people, he wasn't too keen on going through another phase of humiliation like the one he had had to go through after the last time he had been caught with a boy. To him it felt like people were totally okay with him being gay, as long as they didn't have to see it. And since all the blokes from his school – well, except Harry – weren't anything for him anyways, it wasn't too hard on him.

Apparently Harry wasn't a very popular kid. The information Zayn had given him were just about all the information Louis could get out of anyone, without approaching Harry's closest friends which Louis refused to do. If he did that he might as well talk to Harry himself.

The one striking thing Louis did find out was that Zayn had been right about Harry being in a band. He and two friends of his – Neil and L-.. something like that – did a few gigs every now and then and played in cafes or bars. Louis had gone to a few shows of their, actually enjoying their music and liking everything they did. Expect that one song..

That one song Harry sang so beautifully and almost all by himself, stupidly shining bright like the stupid sun or something, making Louis' stupid heart ache so much. It was called 'All The Little Things' or something close to that, Louis couldn't really recall because he only listened to that song once. Once and never again, because the song was a love song and described everything that Louis was not. It was like Harry was grinning right at him, telling him that he had no interest in him whatsoever. Which was basically impossible, right? He was Louis Tomlinson, everybody wanted him!

But Louis had no freckles, he didn't have to squeeze into his jeans (even though he tried on his little sister's once just to know what it felt like having to squeeze into them), he didn't talk in his sleep and he didn't like tea. He was even okay with his entire outward appearance and wouldn't refuse to sing in front of people during a play, if it was necessary. Louis wasn't self-conscious but ever since he had heard that song he wanted to be.

Louis didn't like to acknowledge how much he indeed thought about Harry and how much he wanted the curly haired boy to be just like everybody else and adore him and ask him out and then Louis could just say yes and that would be it. But then again he did not want Harry to be like everybody else because that was exactly what made him special.

It was frustrating really, and sometimes Louis let it pull himself down. On his bad days, when he was a jerk to everyone already and when he made use of his position of being king of the school. He wasn't actually mean and he knew he would regret it later, but he pushed his way through the hallways, jostling against people but not bothering to turn around and apologize or do so much as look at the damage he had done.

Taking a turn and swiftly shuffling around a corner, his head still down he bumped face to face into a taller person, cussing under his breath and telling them to “Watch out next time!” harshly before he turned to walk past them when he caught a glimpse at the dark and curly hair of the person he had just run into and was now bending down to pick up the books he had dropped in the process.

“Harry.” Louis gulped out in surprise and he bent down to help the other boy pick up his books, but Harry was faster and Louis felt a little awkward as he stood up straight again without being any help.

“I'm sorry.” He said quickly as Harry adjusted his hair a little, a delicious light blush creeping on his cheeks. Harry glared up at him, rolling his eyes.

“My bad. I'll just 'watch out next time'.” He snapped, imitating Louis' voice. Louis blushed and wanted to say something more, but Harry was off already and Louis just watched him as he walked down the hallway swiftly not bothering to turn around again.

~

Louis couldn't help but feel bad about the incident with Harry. Of course he hadn't intended to be mean, and even less to towards Harry. Louis still couldn't understand why the curly haired boy didn't like him to begin with, but he sure hadn't made it better now. And he was determined to change that.

He thought about asking Zayn for help, but he already knew his firend's answer and so he decided to spare himself the awkwardness of explaining to Zayn that there indeed was a boy he fancied, let alone telling him who it was. And all Zayn was going to tell him was to go talk to the boy, because that was Zayn's magic formula for everything. Literally everything.

And it usually worked, so Louis wasn't going to complain and instead just laid awake at night, thinking about something to say to the boy, that would show that he was sorry but also interested in more than just an acceptance of the apology. Louis couldn't understand why it was as hard for him to talk to the boy and just decided to proceed as he would with any other person he'd like to date as well. And that was to ask them out.

So Louis swallowed down the little nervousness he felt the next day at lunch and grabbed his bottle of water and an apple from his food tray before walking over to the far end of the lunch hall where Harry was sitting, his two friends from the band with him. They had their heads stuck together, reading a magazine that lay in front of them.

“Hey.” Louis said, coughing awkwardly to get the boys' attention. Their heads darted up and Louis smiled at them warmly. Okay, actually he was only smiling at Harry, but then again he didn't try to charm the other two's pants off.

“Hi.” The boy to his right breathed out. He had short brown hair and no matter how hard Louis tried he just couldn't recall his name. The other one, Neil or whatever, just starred at him, his mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to say something. Harry on the other hand looked down at the article right away again, ignoring Louis' presence completely. Well, Louis would have to step it up then.

“Mind if I sit with you guys?” He asked, smiling his most charming smile but Harry didn't even care to look up.

“What do you want, Tomlinson?” Harry snapped and the boy to his right looked up at Louis with apologetic eyes.

“Thought I'd come over and apologize.” Louis admitted, but he grew more and more angry as Harry still didn't look up. The other two boys looked torn but they didn't speak either so Louis figured he'd have to step it up even more. “Also I was wondering if you'd let me take you out for dinner sometime?”

Harry's head shot up and Louis smiled contently. The blond one had a 'What the fuck just happened?'-look on his face and it looked quite amusing, but Louis forced himself to keep looking at Harry, who seemed to be in some kind of trance.

“No.” He snapped as soon as he realized that Louis had been starring at him, expecting an answer. Though Louis sure hadn't expected that kind of answer.

“No?” He asked in disbelieve, trying to sort out the thoughts that were rushing through his brain right now. Harry's friends looked just as surprised, the darker haired one turning to him quickly and tugging on his sleeve.

“But Harry, you-”

“Liam!” Harry snapped, cutting him off and glaring some more at Louis. Louis made a mental note about the brown haired boy's name, Liam, and then cocked his head to the side, waiting if Harry would maybe say something more. But he didn't and instead he just got up, taking his tray with him and walking away, leaving both his friends and Louis looking rather dumbfounded.

“Sorry.” Liam mumbled, glancing at Louis quickly before he pushed himself up and followed Harry, the blonde on his heels as well. When they were both gone Louis was still standing by their table, glancing around rather awkwardly and hoping that nobody else had heard their conversation.

~

Louis didn't understand Harry's reaction. Louis didn't like Harry's reaction either. He had had this whole thing planned out about their first date and now Harry said no which kind of ruined the plan completely. Louis hated it.

He spend the rest of lunch sitting with Zayn and luckily Zayn didn't ask questions, though he must have seen Louis walking over to the three boys and talking to them. Also Louis' very unusual silence must have had an effect on Zayn, but he was a good friend and probably only pushed the questions till later, maybe on the phone tonight, when Louis would have to explain himself.

Louis was still pondering over what exactly to tell Zayn and how to proceed with Harry when the bell rang and he grabbed his bag, slowly dragging himself to his next class. History class. They never really did anything in there anyways, so he'd have time to think things through.

What Louis didn't consider was the fact that – oh yeah – Harry was in this class with him. But since the first day in class they always sat so far apart that Louis tended to forget Harry was even there. Well, not today..

Harry came shuffling in just a moment after Louis and Louis watched him walk to his seat and sit down, not granting him or any of the others students a look. The curly haired boy sat facing away from him and Louis couldn't really tell but his neck seemed kind of flushed and Louis wondered if maybe he had made the younger boy feel uncomfortable with his question.

“Louis Tomlinson.” The teacher repeated and Louis shook his head lightly, trying to get rid of the Harry-thoughts in his head before he looked up. Some other students were looking at him as well and he figured that he may have been asked a question or called to come to the front without realizing it.

“Yeah?” He asked and the teacher smiled at him warmly.

“Your project partner is Mr. Styles.” She said and Louis nodded quickly, wondering how much time in class he had missed thinking about Mr. I-Won't-Go-A-Date-With-You, sitting in the front of the class room.

“What project?” Louis whispered to the girl next to him, who glanced up at him from underneath her long lashes, scooting a little closer.

“We're talking about World War Two now. Each group has to hand in a working portfolio. With pictures and that kind of stuff. It's on the copy she handed out.” The girl explain happily and Louis glanced down at his hands in disbelief to see that he was holding a paper in his hands the teacher must have handed out. It had notes about formalities on there and he stuffed it in his backpack, thinking he might need it again.

“Who's the guy I'm working with?” Louis whispered again, leaning in a little closer to the girl in order to make up for his lack of interest in what the teacher had said, though the girl looked like she couldn't care less.

“Harry Styles.” She said, draining all the color from Louis face. “Over there.” She nodded into the general direction of where Louis already knew Harry was sitting, slowly turning around to look at him. Harry was – of course – not giving a shit about what Louis was doing and still only glancing down at his own paper. He looked up at the teacher who still announced the other working groups and people started smiling across the room at each other.

“Okay fine.” The teacher said, clapping in her hands quickly and grabbing everyone's attention. “Go sit with your partner, you may start working now. The portfolios are due by the end of next week.”

Everyone started getting up and shuffling through the room, looking for their partner. Chairs were pulled over the floor making horrible shrieking sounds, but Louis ignored them glancing over at Harry. The younger boy had made no effort to move the slightest bit or to even turn around to glance back at Louis, so Louis just sighed, picking up his own things and shuffling across the room to go sit with Harry.

“Hey.” He said halfheartedly, dropping his stuff onto the table next to Harry and pulling up a seat. “About earlier..” He started out as the teacher came walking by handing out papers for them to read and questions to answer for the portfolio. “I'm really sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.” Louis' voice was soft and he blinked down at Harry who still refused to look him in the eyes and just grabbed one of the papers the teacher had given them.

“Let's just work, alright?” He asked, taking some of the texts and handing the rest over to Louis without granting him another look. Harry started reading, marking things randomly in the text and Louis wasn't sure if the younger boy really understood what he was reading. He thought about making a comment about the fact that Harry had a lot of 'and's, 'but's and 'then's underlined instead of actual key terms but chose not to, when he realized he had already fucked up enough for one day.

~

By the end of the class Louis had a few texts read and even more questions answered, but he really couldn't say that this groups project was any fun. And he also knew that they were never going to get it done in the time they were given during class. Any other project partner he would have asked to come over to his house to do some work later that day and maybe have some pizza together while doing so. But he already knew Harry would say no to that as well, so why would he even bother asking.

They worked quietly during most of their time in class only exchanging few words when Harry asked if Louis had already read a particular text or Louis compared his answers to Harry's. Even though it had felt incredibly awkward at first, the situation had kind of grown on Louis and he now was looking forward to his history classes where he'd spend most of the time glancing sheepishly at Harry from underneath his fringe instead of actually doing work.

The next week's Wednesday came around and Louis once again hadn't really concentrated in class but starred at Harry instead. Secretly Louis was wondering if Harry felt his gaze and knew that he was watching, but obviously he couldn't ask him. Because they still didn't speak. Or at least that was what Louis thought they were doing, but that Wednesday Harry was changing things up a bit.

“We only have one lesson left on Friday.” Harry noted on the end of class as they both started packing their stuff away. Louis glanced up at him in surprise, not knowing what kind of information that was supposed to be. The confusion must have been written on his face as Harry sighed loudly, standing up straight. “We're not done. We're not gonna get it done by Friday.” More useless information Louis already knew about. “I can't afford to fail the project.” Harry admitted and Louis cocked his head to the side. This was new.

“What do you wanna do?” Louis asked, hoping the question didn't come out too sexual.

“Are you free tomorrow after school?” Harry asked sheepishly glancing at his shoes and Louis couldn't keep a grin off his face. How much he had wanted Harry to ask him that question! Though of course now it was in another context, but Louis still liked it.

“Yeah, I think. We could go to mine.” Louis suggested with a smile, but like always Harry didn't bother looking up and just grabbed all his books.

“Good. I'll meet you at your locker after school?” He asked and was off before Louis could answer his question. And as much as Harry ignored him and tried not to seem interested Louis couldn't help but wonder how the younger boy knew which one his locker was.

~

The next day after school Louis collected his things, stuffed them in his backpack and made his way to his locker. He was somewhat excited to see Harry today all afternoon long, even though the other boy didn't seem too interested in their meeting at all and Louis expected that it was going to be highly likely the most awkward encounter he will have had in a while. But it didn't matter and awkwardness had never been big of a deal to him, so he was happily shuffling down the hallway to his locker, his eyes lighting up when he spotted Harry standing by it already.

“Hey!” Louis greeted with a wide smile and Harry looked up at him quickly. “Are you gonna ride with me?” He asked, trying to sound as little creepy as possible though he knew Harry was going to need a ride, still being two years younger than himself. Harry just nodded, motioning for him to go ahead. Louis did as he was told and Harry followed him in silence.

Several cars were already leaving when they reached the parking lot and Louis led Harry to his car, unlocking the doors quietly. They climbed both in and as Louis started the ignition and pulled out, he thought of something to say to the boy next to him.

“How was your day?” He tried cheerily, glancing at Harry but the only reaction he got was Harry raising his eyebrows a little and turning his head so he was gazing out of the window instead of at Louis. Thinking about it he had to admit that the question did kind of sound like something his mother would ask him whenever she got home from work, but Harry's ignorant behavior hurt him anyways.

When they got to the house Harry still hadn’t spoken a word and Louis had grown sick of his his little games, deciding that two could play this game. So he inwardly sealed his lips, leading Harry wordlessly up the porch and into the house, sitting down onto one of the couches in the living room right away without even offering a tour of the house as he would have done for any other visitor. Harry didn't seem to notice Louis' change in mood or if he did he chose not to comment on it and sat down on a couch opposite of the one Louis was sitting on instead.

The two boys sat in silence for a moment and Louis thought that maybe it would be appropriate to offer him something to eat or at least a drink, but then he remembered what a prick Harry was being and scratched that thought. He pulled up his bag instead and reached for the textbook, skimming through the pages until he found the passage he had last been working on and laid the book down onto his knees before he started reading.

He wasn't exactly concentrating on what he was reading and from the corner of his eyes he could tell that Harry followed suit, pulling out his stuff slowly and starting to read on one of his papers. And as much as Louis tried to force himself to understand the words written on the page in front of him, he couldn't. Harry was distracting.

Why are we even doing this together?; Louis thought angrily, turning the page over just so Harry wouldn't get suspicious as to why Louis was starring at the same paragraph for over twenty minutes now, though in reality Louis still hadn't gotten a word of what was being said in the text. He might as well work at his own place! But even though Louis was pissed off, he wasn't rude and he would never tell Harry to leave now even though that would probably have been more productive for their project.

“You play baseball?” Harry asked out of nowhere and Louis looked up to find Harry starring across the room at some old pictures of him and his dad at the batting cages.

“Used to.” Louis answered carefully, surprised to hear the speak at all let alone ask him something personal. “But then I got into theater and the baseball thing just kind of.. dropped, I guess.” Louis shrugged but Harry nodded.

“My dad made me play when I was a kid. Took him thirteen years to figure out that I wasn't a sports type of person.” Louis lips quirked up in a smile at Harry's words and he tried imagining Harry trying to swing the bat and hit the ball. But then Louis also imagined Harry in tight baseball pants that showed off his legs and muscles and with his own pants growing tighter he quickly decided that this was nothing to think of with Harry in the same room.

“So, now you sing in a band.” Louis said instead and Harry looked at him surprise.

“Yeah.” He admitted, still looking like he hadn't expected Louis to know that. Louis quickly wondered how many people actually knew about this band and if maybe he had already given away too much about his stalking activities. “How'd you know?” Harry kept asking, only to make the situation even worse.

“A friend told me.” Louis answered honestly. “And I may have been to a gig or two.”

“Really?” Harry asked in disbelieve, some amusement swinging in his voice.

“Yeah.” Louis nodded, lowering his head and feeling his cheeks heat up just a the slightest bit. He bit down on the inside of his cheeks, rarely ever blushing in front of people.

“So,” Harry started out, holding up his worksheet. “About this project..” He continued, sensing that Louis wasn't all the comfortable with their conversation.

“Yes?” Louis looked up again, leaning in and ready to answer any question Harry might have had about the project. As long as he didn't question Louis' stalking qualities again they should be fine.

And they were. They worked together for another good hour or two, gradually scooting closer and in the end sitting on the same couch, their arms brushing as they wrote answers on sheets or exchanged texts.

All in all their working time was used unexpectantly productive and they ended up redoing some of the answers, just to be on the safe side. As it turned out Harry was a really smart kid and Louis wondered if Harry really meant it when he had said that he couldn't afford to fail the project. But he pushed that thought to the side, focusing on Harry again who was rambling about some answer – again.

By the time they were done they decided to add a colorful front page for extra credit and Louis went to grab some blank sheets of paper and crayons from his younger sisters. Harry beamed up at him and grabbed one of the crayons, ready to go.

“Here, we'll draw together.” He offered, handing Louis a crayon as well. Louis bit down on the inside of his cheeks again, but leaned down with Harry and drew some guns next to the bombs Harry had drawn already. Laughing and chatting they added soldiers, ships, air planes and flags of all the countries involved in the war. In the end they looked at their masterpiece, sharing a grin and smugly deciding if they were their teacher they would most definitely not given them extra credit, simply for the reason that they both sucked at drawing.

“It's not all that bad.” Louis tried to save their work. “Look this ship you did, it's.. decent. I think.” Harry laughed at his poor attempt of sugar coating things.

“But look at this solider. He might as well be a rock or I don't know..”

“Oh I thought it was a rock!” Louis teased and Harry looked up at him with playful anger, swatting his arm and making Louis feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside; a feeling Louis had felt quite a lot that afternoon. Against his expectation the two boys got along very well and once they had started talking actually found out quite a lot about each other. They were laughing and from the way Harry leaned in closer when clutching his stomach from giggling over Louis' jokes, Louis got the idea that Harry was having a good time too. Maybe, he thought, he had changed Harry's mind. Maybe Harry had really just been shy about him or something, because from the way he was talking and acting and moving and just everything.. From that way Louis could tell that Harry was most definitely gay. His gaydar worked just fine, thank you.

So they had finished their picture and put it all together neatly in a folder and Louis was just adjusting the edges, smiling up at Harry sweetly who was leaning back against the couch.

“Here it is.” Louis said proudly holding it up when he was done and the grin on Harry's face grew even wider, his lips quirking up and looking kissable as ever.

“Cool.” Harry said, distracting Louis and reaching out for the folder himself. “I'll hand it in tomorrow, if that's fine with you.” He offered and Louis smiled gladly, nodding contently. “Okay, then.” Harry added, swiftly pushing himself off the couch and no, no, no, no, no. No! Louis got up quickly as well, the content smile wiped right off his face. Harry grabbed his bag and smiled at Louis quickly before walking across the room to the hallway.

“Hey, err-” Louis called jogging after him and almost running into him when turning around then corner. Not like that hadn't happened before. Harry was looking down at him with questioning eyes. “Erm..” Louis started again rather awkwardly, not really knowing what to say. “My mum will be back soon. She's gonna make dinner, so if you'd like to stay maybe..” He suggested and Harry's eyes grew a little wider, his mouth forming into an O in surprise.

“I, uh-” He started, biting his lip nervously. “No, thanks.”

Louis blinked twice, a little taken aback by being turned down by the same boy twice now. Especially after this afternoon had gone as well as it did. Harry must have been busy, he thought, trying to find excuses to justify his next action later on.

“Well shame. Tomorrow maybe? I know this really lovely place in town. I could come pick you up at 8?” He offered with the most charming smile he could sport, even batting his eyelashes a little, though he felt rather ridiculous when he realized that his actions didn't have the effect on Harry. He was looking down at his feet, shuffling awkwardly.

“Listen, Louis..” Harry said slowly, not looking up at him. “I'm not interested. I'm not gay, so..”

Louis smirked up at the younger boy, trying to catch his eyes though his actions were in vain. The thick curtain of curls protected his eyes really well and Louis had to speak, without letting the boy see the humor in his eyes.

“Harry, I think we both that you are ve-”

“Shut up.” Harry hissed and Louis took a quick step back, surprised by the boy's harsh action. “Just leave me alone, Louis!” He growled, getting louder and almost yelling now. “I'm not interested in you and I never will be so for God's sake will you just leave me alone! I'm sick of your games, go play them with somebody else.” Harry's eyes met Louis' for a short moment, before Harry turned on his heel, taking two fast steps down the hallway before he spun around again.

“I'm gonna-” He took a deep breath, lowering his voice and speaking calmly. Almost too calm. “I'm gonna switch classes. So this” He vaguely motioned towards the folder in his hand “doesn't happen again.”

~

1562, 1563, 1564, 156-.. God damnit!, Louis cussed in his mind as the door to his bed room was pushed open and his mum came walking in distracting him from the little dents in the wallpaper he had been counting.

“Honey.” She said with a cheery voice, setting down something on the bedside table and then sitting down on the edge of the bed, rubbing Louis' shoulder with one hand. “Okay, love. You need to eat. It's been a full 24 hours and you usually can't even go two hours without food. Also you missed a day of school. So either you're gonna down this food within the next fifteen minutes or you'll tell me what's wrong with you..” Her voice had gotten soft in the end, pushing back some of his hair and smiling down at him.

Louis turned over, away from his mum, hiding his head in the pillows. He didn't want to eat. But even less so he wanted to talk. His mum wouldn't understand anyways. Nobody understood. But then again barely people bothered even asking so he didn't expect them to understand. Except Zayn maybe. Because Zayn always understood. But Zayn wasn't here right now and he had only texted him quickly this morning, asking where he was, because Louis hadn't shown up for school. Louis had told him he wasn't feeling like going to school and Zayn had assumed that he was sick. Though Zayn had been wrong.

Louis wasn't sick. Not literally at least. Lovesick maybe, but he wouldn't ever admit to that so that didn't count either.

He was feeling horrible. Tired, but couldn't sleep. Hot and cold, at the same time. Hungry, but he had no appetite. He wanted to lounge in bed at all when at the same time he felt like running a marathon. It just wasn't good. And it was all Harry's fault.

It had taken Louis some time to understand the words Harry had carelessly thrown at him and by the time they sank in and got settled in his brain he also understood their meaning and the hurt they held. He just then fully understood how much Harry despised him and how passionately he felt about not wanting to have anything to do with him. It was devastating. And that's what Louis was. Devastated. Or depressed. Or even lovesick if that was the word, Louis didn't know. He had never been in love, or that's what he thought.

His mum sat with him for a while, trying to force, bribe or talk him into eating but as it didn't work she just got up, sighing and leaving the room but not without playing the “I'm just trying to help you, honey.”-card. But Louis knew that card as well as all the other tricks his mother had in store and ignored her puppy eyes successfully.

When his mum was gone and silence filled the room, Louis sighed sadly, turning on his back and facing the wallpaper above his head again. He thought about starting to count again, but the frustration over being interrupted after getting over 1000 already kept him from starting over. Instead he simply closed his eyes, seeing Harry's face behind his closed lids. Squinting his eyes together hard he tried to get the picture to magically dissolve, but Harry's happy grin stayed right where it was at, looking smug as ever. And as Louis involuntarily stared up into those deep green eyes he began to wonder why this effected him as much as it did.

But Louis couldn't really come up with anything sensible, still distracted by the beautiful face he saw in his mind. Harry looked so stupidly happy with his stupid bouncy curls and his stupid charming smile. And he had looked just that way when they had worked on their project the day before, smiling like the stupid sun. Before it all turned into stupid clouds and stupid rain and Harry decided to throw whatever kind of tantrum that had been, leaving Louis to feel like a piece of shit for practically no reason.

He doesn't want to go out with you., Louis tried to reason in his mind. It's not a broken leg, calm down. This happens all the time.. right? But it wasn't right and it didn't happen to Louis. Not to Louis Tomlinson. And as conceited as it might have sounded to Louis, he could not remember one single person – before Harry – that had denied going on a date with him. Male or female.

Well, there's always a first!, Louis thought angrily, but in the same moment he decided that this wasn't going to be how this story ended. He had been denied, yes, rejected even, and as much as it hurt he didn't want to be the pathetic lovesick kid.

And so he was going to do something about it.

~

But Louis didn't quite know what that something was going to be. He was in bed all Friday, in his room all Saturday and inside the house all Sunday. His mum was still worried, but she was happy to see him up and moving again and since she was the best mum on the planet – Louis might have been a little biased there – she left him alone and gave him all the time he needed.

And all the time he needed was until Sunday night. Sunday night Louis was sitting on front of his laptop, scrolling through his Facebook feed and reading about a gig several people were talking about. Apparently a local bar had something like an open-mic night tonight and Louis lips quirked up into a smile when he saw the names of several people from their school who were listed as acts. Some of them he didn't even know could sing, but as he kept reading he decided he was definitely going to check- Goddammit!

~

Of course Harry's stupid band had to be there. But Louis was above that and holding his head up high he left his house that night, telling his mum that he was going out with friends when in reality he hadn't even asked Zayn if he wanted to come with. But his mum was happy that he had decided to leave the house for the first time in four days so she wasn't going to ask questions.

Louis hadn't dressed up and he hadn't done his hair, deciding that he was very well over Harry and that there was no need for him to feel down anymore. Because, well, he was Louis Tomlinson and he was fucking hot.

With his mind set on that and his beanie on his head, covering up the undone hair – because, well, you never knew who you'd really meet, right? - Louis made his way downtown, parking his car in an alley close to the bar and walking the last block before standing in front of the bar and glancing inside through the windows.

Well, he had come just in time. Peeking through the windows he could see Harry and Liam and that one blond kid sitting on high stools on something that was probably supposed to be the stage. The blonde, who's name Louis still couldn't remember, had a guitar in his hand, the strap slung over his shoulder, strumming it slowly.

“Okay guys.” Harry heard Liam say into the mic even through the window. The brown haired boy was smiling into the people sitting around, some of the cheering his name and he smiled sheepishly as he glanced at a group of girls Louis recognized from their school. “Last song for tonight.” Liam announced and whilst most of the people in the bar made displeased sounds, Louis sighed in relief. As soon as those lunatics were off the stage he could go in there and have a good time without having to stare at Harry the whole time. And without risking Harry spotting him in the crowd.

And so Louis stood by the window, shivering a little with the wind picking up a big, but bravely keeping his position. Luckily the last song they played was something uplifting and not that one stupid song about thighs and crinkles and cups of tea. But over all his relief as the song finally came to an ending Louis could not deny that the song was pretty amazing actually and that Harry had the voice of an angel, hands down.

He heard the boys saying thanks to the crowd over the microphones and then saw them clear the stage, making room for the next act. Louis decided to wait another minute or two, giving the three boys enough time to be gone for real, before entering the bar. And whilst waiting by the window he gazed down the street, tapping his foot on the ground.

A moment later the door to the bar flew open and a tall figure stepped outside, a huge bag on his back. Judging from the shape it most likely held a guitar and when the figure turned to the side a bit Louis also recognized the blond hair and the toothy grin.

“Tomlinson.” The blonde Louis had seen up on stage just a moment ago greeted him.

“Neil.” Louis responded with a nod, slightly panicking on the inside when he realized that he still wasn't sure about the boy's name. But a wide grin spread on the boy's face and he stepped closer towards Louis, fiddling with something in his pocket.

“It's Niall.” He said with a smile and Louis blushed lightly, hoping to hide it in the shade of the building. He mumbled out a quick a apology but Niall waved it off chuckling a bit and holding up a pack of cigarettes he had pulled out of his pocket. “D'you smoke?”

“Nah, thanks.” Louis replied and the blonde just shrugged it off, lighting his own cigarette and leaning against the wall by the window while puffing out some smoke. Louis raised an eyebrow at him, wondering what he was doing. Just casually smoking with him? They didn't even know each other. But the boy – Niall, Louis had to remind himself. Niall – didn't seem to mind and he just grinned at him cheekily every now and then.

“D'you watch the show?” Niall asked, flicking his finished cigarette away and stepping on it as it landed on the ground.

“Not really.” Louis replied honestly.

“Oh.” The other said with a shrug, adjusting the guitar on his back. “D'you still fancy Harry then?”

Louis almost chocked on his own spit, coughing awkwardly as the boy across from him glanced down at him with big eyes.

“D'you not?” He asked in confusion, eying Louis' reaction suspiciously. But Louis still was in no place to answer those merely straight forwards questions and just shook his head dismissively. Niall didn't seem to understand him. “Well, do you still wanna go out with him or not? Because he's been acting strange lately.. Look, don't tell him I said this but I think he's scared. I mean.. look at you! You're Louis Tomlinson, right?”

Louis nodded slightly though he wasn't sure if Niall actually expected confirmation to his question. This whole situation kind of got out of hand. But Niall either didn't seem or notice or he just didn't mind and just kept looking at Louis with big curios eyes, expecting him to say something.

“Err-” Louis started, not sure of what he was going to say. “I don't..- He shouldn't be scared.” He said lamely, though it sounded more like a question. Nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other he glanced at Niall who cocked his head to the side.

“That's what I've been telling him. But he's just not coming to his senses. Anyways, I'll just say you still like him and I could give him your number maybe?” Niall's eyes grew bigger and Louis couldn't tell if the sparkle in the deep blue was sincere or not. The blonde's behavior seemed so odd.

“I'd rather you didn't.” Louis said dryly, hoping to get some more out of the other boy, because really he did want Harry to have his number and to call and text him. But this just seemed too easy. And against Louis' expectation Niall just shrugged it off, turning away a little suddenly not interested in Louis at all anymore.

“He said he's not even gay.” Louis tried again and again it sounded more like a question. Niall barked out a quick laugh, covering his mouth with one hand right after and cocking an eyebrow up at Louis.

“Did he really say that?” Niall asked bewildered, sounding amused and pressing his lips in a tight line, though a a wide grin was splitting his face soon enough.

“What?” Louis asked in confusion, but Niall just shook his head grinning at the ground and repeatedly giggling lightly as if he was remembering something funny. Louis waited for a moment, trying to see if Niall was going to add anything else to explain his strange reaction, but he made no move to do so.

“I'll be.. off then, I guess.” Louis offered with a weak smile after a while and the blonde shot him a grin, but before Louis could turn to walk away the door of the bar flung open again, the dark haired one, Liam, stepping out.

“Nialler!” He greeted the boy walking over, catching a quick glimpse at Louis. But before Liam could reach them Louis had already turned on his heel and not quite trusting his eyes when he believed to see another boy stepping out of the bar right behind Liam. Louis resisted the urge to turn around and check and fell into a slow jog, hustling down the street to get to his car and drive back home.

~

Monday morning Louis still felt like staying home but his mum ushered him out of bed and sent him off to school before he could protest and so now he was sitting in his Algebra class, trying to focus on the new script for the school's next play. Auditions were only the week after and with all his experience Louis had pretty good chances of getting on of the lead characters, but he wasn't going to take chances. After all nobody cheered for the sidekick.

“Then is Courtesy a turn-coat: but it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart, for truly I love none.” He was mumbling words under his breath, trying to memorize them more quickly. He liked Shakespeare, he really did, but the language was hell and it didn't make sense, but he liked the character he was auditioning for. The man was funny and witty, with some sass – just like himself. Also he was popular and, well, very popular with the ladies – not so much like himself.

Algebra went by and so did his history class, PE and English without Louis learning the script to its full extent. It went on like this – Louis trying to learn the text underneath the tables in class – for a couple of days, but on Thursday Louis decided enough was enough. So Thursday after school Louis decided to instead of going home right away, stay at the library for some time and practice. His home was loud, after all it held five crazy Tomlinson girls, and the library was silent and gave Louis time and room to read through the text for a hundredth time that day.

So he found he seat in a corner, setting his bag down beside him and pulling out the torn up paper that had been folded and unfolded countless times that day already.

“Then is Courtesy a turn-coat..” He began, mumbling the words lowly in order not to disrupt any other students who were doing work in the library as well, though not a lot of people seemed to be around anyways. “..for truly I love none. For truly I love none. For truly I love none.” He kept repeating, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to force the words into his brain. He had to remember. He had to! “.. for truly I love none..”

“So this is our big drama queen's secret.” A low voice stated from across the table with a chuckle and Louis almost died from a heart attack, accidentally tearing the paper in his hands and his eyes growing wide in shock. “Mumbling words like they're a mantra.”

Louis starred at the boy sitting across from him now. His curls were bouncy as ever and his smile was wide, making his green eyes sparkle ridiculously.

“Harry.” Louis growled lowly, looking down at the torn paper in his hands. “You scared me.”

“I'm sorry.” said Harry. Though the smirk on his face was so incredibly smug Louis didn't believe a work he said.

“What do you want?” He asked and the words came out sounding more harshly then they should.

“Jeez.” Harry said, cocking an eyebrow at him and leaning back in defense. “Somebody's in a mood.”

“You tore my script.” Louis said with a pout, trying to puzzle the two pieces back together on the table. The tear was clean and with some tape it would be fine, and also it hadn't actually been Harry who ripped the paper apart, they both knew that, but Harry chose not to make a comment on Louis' pouting and Louis was glad he didn't.

“You learning that for the play?” Harry asked after a while, gazing down at the paper and sounding genuinely interested.

“Hmm.” Louis hummed in agreement, not looking up from the script.

“Let's hear some!” Harry said cheerily, leaning in a little, his elbows resting on the table. “Gotta know if you're any good for the role, right?” He chuckled lowly and Louis looked up in surprise. Did he miss something? Last time he had spoken to the boy had been screaming, throwing a tantrum over how much he despised Louis. And now he was all cheers and charms, batting his eyelashes at him and tilting his head seductively.

“Hello?” Harry asked, waving his hand in front of Louis' eyes in order to grab his attention.

“What? Sorry.” Louis said shaking his head lightly and focusing on the other boy's face, feeling his face flush a little.

“You were drooling, that's all.” Harry told him, laughing at the expression on Louis' face. “Anyways.. what I actually meant to ask, err..” Harry flushed a little himself now. “Was if, maybe, you were gonna.. err.. ask again?”

Louis blinked up at him. “If I asked again? Asked again what?”

“For a date.” Harry's reply was simple and direct and though he flushed an a little deeper shade of red at that Louis was impressed with how well the younger boy was holding up. Because Louis sure wasn't. At least not on the inside. And he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Because it all started to make sense now. And he was sad to see that Harry really thought so little of him, mocking him now.

“You know what?” Louis snapped, grabbing the two halves of his script from the table and stuffing them into his bag angrily. “It's okay. I get it. I'm the pathetic gay kid and you don't want me. You've made that pretty clear the last time already, yeah? You don't have to rub it in my face! I'm not stupid. I'm not gonna ask you again just so you can say no again, because, well.. I've been there. Even gay people have feelings, you know?”

Louis got up and pulled his bag with him, pushing past Harry and he wasn't sure but he believed to hear him chuckle before he left the library, hasting through the school towards the parking lot.

“Louis!” He heard his name being called, but didn't turn around refusing to acknowledge the presence of the bouncy curls behind his back. “Okay, stop Louis. You're being ridiculous.” Harry was only a few feet behind him now and Louis twirled around, ready to give Harry the lecture of his life or maybe even smack him in the face.

“Ridiculous? I'm gonna show you ridiculous!” Louis started, glaring at the boy who stood right in front of him now.

“Hey now.” Harry laughed and his stupid curls bounced and he laughed. “Now I don't know if you still care..” Harry started and Louis thought hell no I don't, though he was glad he didn't say it just a moment later “But I would say yes this time.”

“You would-? Wait, what? Oh-.” Louis was totally confused, gazing up at the boy and frowning over the words he had just said. Did he really mean it? Was he not mocking him? But the sparkle in those green eyes and the way Harry shifted his weight from one foot to another, nervously waiting for Louis to say something made Louis believe the younger boy really did mean it this time.

“Okay, then.” He agreed, nodding slowly. “I'll come pick you up tomorrow at 7?” He offered and a face splitting smile crept upon Harry's lips, mirroring Louis' face.

“Sounds lovely.” Harry agreed, smiling down at Louis one last time before turning around and making his way back down the hallway towards the library. Louis stood, leaning against a random locker and trying to wipe the ridiculously wide grin off his face, but somehow that didn't work. Not for the rest of the day.

~

“Hey Lou?” Zayn asked, laying on the couch in Louis' room with his head on the ground and his feet up in the air. He was starring at the TV screen, but he wasn't actually watching the cooking show that was on, simply enjoying the way the people looked upside down.

“Hmm?” Louis hummed in response, not looking up from his laptop. He still had to write a paper for his English class but Zayn had insisted on coming over so now they were just hanging out, keeping Louis from actually finishing the stupid essay.

“Wanna go downtown tonight? I heard that new club is having a ladies night.” Zayn suggested, tilting his head to the side a bit to catch a glimpse at Louis. Louis just looked up wordlessly from his laptop, quirking an eyebrow at Zayn at the words 'ladies night'. Zayn shrugged it off and in a way Louis was glad that Zayn always made him feel like nothing had changed between them since Louis came out.

“'M busy.” Louis mumbled anyways, lowering his head again and rereading the last sentence he wrote to get back into the text.

“What'cha doing?” Zayn asked curiously, distracting Louis once again. He pulled himself up from the couch rather awkwardly until he was sitting with his head up and his feet curled underneath his body.

“Uh, I have a date.” Louis admitted sheepishly. He hadn't told Zayn anything about Harry's and his date or anything before that yet. And he wasn't planning on doing so right now, because he had to be off in less than two hours and the last thing he needed right now was getting nervous.

“Nu-uh!” Zayn exclaimed his eyes growing wide. “Who with?”

That was the question Louis had been expecting. And dreading. He tried to keep the answer from Zayn, mumbling some random name under his breath, but Zayn wasn't having any of that.

“Who is it?” He asked again, scooting up the couch a little so he was sitting closer to Louis.

“Fine.” Louis sighed, slamming his laptop shut and giving up on his essay. As well as his secret. “It's Harry. Harry Styles. The kid from my hist-”

“From your history class!” Zayn interrupted him before he could even finish his sentence. “I knew it. I knew it!” He cheered, grinning at Louis excitedly.

“You what..?” Louis asked surprised.

“I knew it. You and Harry. I knew it. The way you look at him. I see it. I knew it, gosh, I knew it!” Zayn wouldn't stop talking, telling Louis all about how he had watched him watch Harry ever since he had asked about him that one day at lunch. “You're crushing on him. And I knew it all along.”

~

It was almost seven by the time Louis finally managed to kick the excitedly blabbering Zayn out, but not without promising to text him that night to tell him how the date had gone. Shooting a quick glance at the clock Louis darted up to his room to change into some nicer things, fancy enough to go out for dinner, but not all that posh. He quickly styled his hair up in his usual quiff, grabbing his keys, phone and wallet as he rushed out the door not bothering to lock it as he left.

It was past seven already when he got to Harry's house – because, well, who knew that boy lived in the middle of nowhere? - and so he didn't waste time before climbing out the car and walking over the grass towards the porch that led to the front door. He gazed around and he wasn't sure if the black car parked right by the house was really Liam's, but the bright yellow one next to it was definitely Niall's and he grinned a big at the thought of Harry's two friends coming over before tonight.

With a smile on his lips and his heart beating maybe a little faster than usually Louis knocked on the door, stepping back a little. The door was pulled open only a moment later and a young woman looked at him with a warm smile.

“Hi.” Louis said, holding his hand out for her. “I'm Louis Tomlinson.”

“Hello, nice to meet you.” The woman replied, looking a little surprised but taking his hand and shaking it quickly.

“I'm here to pick up Harry.” Louis offered, leaning to the side a little and trying to gaze past her into the house. And just when he thought that woman was never going to let him in Harry came jumping down the stairs, looking a little startled.

“Hey.” Louis said with a wide grin as Harry stepped closer. His face was flushed and so was his neck and Louis had to press his lips together to hide an amused smirk.

“Hi.”

“You almost ready?”

“Sure.” Harry replied quickly, grabbing a very nice jacket from a hanger behind the door and then pushing past his mum, saying goodbye to her quickly before joining Louis on the porch.

“Have fun boys!” Harry's mum called after them and Louis saw Harry flush even more next to him, grinning up at the boy. And as he did his eyes landed not only on the really lovely looking blazer the younger boy was wearing but also on his tight skinny jeans and his fitted white shirt.

“You look nice.” Louis told him, offering a grin as they approached the car, but Harry only ducked his head even lower, though it was in vain and Louis saw the flush on his face as he walked around the car, getting in. “When you blush.”, he added in his mind.

Harry climbed in next to him, buckling up as gazing around the inside of the car carefully before his eyes fell on Louis.

“You, uh, look nice, too.” Harry told him lowly. “But I'm sure you, well, know that. Because you always, err, look.. nice. Yeah-” He stopped rambling, biting down on his lower lip and Louis couldn't help but chuckle at how fucking cute he was when he got nervous.

“I still like to hear it.” Louis ensured him, turning on the ignition and up the volume on the radio, trying to make the boy feel more comfortable. Harry sure was adorable when he was nervous, but Louis didn't want him to remember this date as the most awkward thing that ever happened to him, so he kept quiet for the rest of the ride, smiling stupidly at the road.

“Where are we-” Harry stuttered and cleared his throat, directly looking at Louis for the first time that night. “Where are we going?”

“A quiet little restaurant just down the street from the school. I've been there a couple of times.” He smiled at Harry who smiled back shyly. “You're gonna like it.”

“Oh okay.”

And again Louis could have laughed at his answer, because, well.. he didn't know but Harry was just precious and though their date hadn't even really started yet he was already having the time of his life.

When they reached the restaurant they both got out of the car and Louis led them inside, asking for a table of two and giving the waitress a slow nod to show her that he wanted a quiet table, without making Harry feel all that awkward. And whether the waitress understood or they just got lucky, they ended up at a corner table in the back, getting as much privacy as one could in a public restaurant. And it kind of seemed to scare Harry, which only made Louis even happier.

“You can relax, you know.” Louis told Harry with a genuine smile after they had ordered their food and the waitress had brought their drinks. Harry was just sipping on his coke, glimpsing up at Louis in surprise. “I'm not gonna.. bite you or rape you or I don't know.. do anything you don't want me to.”

Harry still looked unsure, though his lips quirked up in a shy smile and he let out a breath he seemed to have held since they had gotten in the car. Louis grinned at him for a moment, waiting for him to say something but the boy still kept quiet and so Louis decided to take it upon himself to run the conversation.

“Remember that text I was trying to learn yesterday? It's from the script for the new school play and in drama class today we all got to present what we had gotten done so far.” Louis told him, shifting a little in his seat. “It was cool really. I still didn't really have the text memorized but I think it went pretty good anyways. Mrs. Meyer told me I'll be doing just fine at the auditions next week.”

“Who are you auditioning for?” Harry asked and Louis' face lit up, too delighted by the fact that Harry had decided to actually take part in this conversation now. And so Louis told him. Told him all about his role and the character he was trying out for and Harry made him recite his lines, cheering quietly after Louis was done, telling him that he would do amazing once the auditions came around.

They kept talking and even though Louis talked a lot more and Louis liked to talk about himself and about things that interested him, Harry somehow managed to turn the conversation around and they were no longer talking about acting and plays, but about music and gigs instead. And then they talked about school and family and friends and a lot of other things Louis wouldn't be able to recall in the end, but they had a good time nevertheless.

Harry kept Louis rambling all through the main course and the waitress had just taken away their plates, returning with an extra menu for the desert.

“Pick whatever.” Louis told Harry with a soft smile, just like he had done with the course before. Harry returned the smile, gazing down at the menu but his eyes flickered up and met Louis' who was still only starring at him.

“Can I ask you something?” Louis asked as Harry quirked an questioning eyebrow at him.

“Yeah.” The younger boy replied, looking unsure, but straightening up in his seat.

“Why'd you, er, change your mind? And asked me out?”

Harry blushed at the question, bravely looking back at Louis without lowering his eyes and Louis had to fight a smile.

“Technically I didn't ask you out. You asked me out.” He replied sheepishly, but Louis cocked an eyebrow at him to let him know that he wasn't having any of that. “Well, maybe.. I had a talk with Niall.” It sounded more like a question, but Harry just shrugged it off.

“And Niall told you to go out with me?”

“Niall told me you're not as bad of a guy as I thought you were.”

“How sweet of him.” Louis said with a genuine smile. “I'm glad I had that chat with him the other night.” Harry grinned down at him sheepishly but from the way his eyes lit up Louis knew that Niall had told him all about the little conversation they had had. Fortunately.

“Can I ask you something, too?” Harry asked after a while, his fingers still clenched around the desert menu.

“Sure.” Louis told him, leaning in a little.

“Why erm.. why did you ask me out in the first place? Like what did I do to well..?” His words trailed off, but Louis was already smiling like a Cheshire cat. He had kind of been expecting this question.

“Well do you want the obvious or the true answer?” He asked cheekily, resting his head in his hands as he gazed up at Harry. But Harry's mood seemed to change at that questions, his eyes turning dark and the sparkling green was gone. He pulled back and leaned against his chair, nervously fiddling with his hands.

“I don't think I need to hear the obvious answer.” He said, sounding bitter and almost sad.

“Oh yeah?” Louis asked, trying to sound cheery and happy, though he wasn't sure if him and Harry were on the same page. He really hadn't expected that kind of reaction.

Harry mumbled some incoherent things under his breath, before lifting his chin a little, taking a deep breath and mumbling: “Well.. it's because I'm the only other gay guy at school, so..”

Louis' eyes grew wide in surprise and also hurt and he made a face gaping at the boy across from him. “Harry, I.. why would you think so little of me? I'm really..” Louis was sincerely lost for words for the first time in.. well since he could remember. Harry looked confused, avoiding Louis' eyes.

“First of all there's a ton of other gay guy at the school.” Louis continued, thinking back to some not so subtle little notes he found in his locker every now and then, but pushed the thoughts to the side. “And second of all, the obvious reason I was thinking of was more the fact that you're.. incredibly cute? Super adorable? Fucking charming?” Harry blushed a deep shade of red, subtly hiding his face behind the menu. “All of that combined, I guess.” Louis concluded and he heard Harry take in a sharp breath.

“What's the real reason?” Harry asked from behind the menu and Louis cocked an eyebrow at him in confusion. “You said there was an obvious and a real reason. What's the real reason?”

“Oh.” Louis laughed. “It's because you didn't want to sit with me in our history class.” He explained nonchalantly, but it grabbed Harry's attention and so he lowered his menu, gazing at Louis in surprise.

“It's because I did not want to sit with you?” He asked incredulously. “Are you sure?”

Louis laughed. “Positive. You just grabbed my attention. This is gonna sound weird, but there's not a lot of people who actively move away from me.”

“Doesn't sound weird.” Harry said with a smile. “It's the truth.”

“Why did you move away then?”

“Err-” Harry started, blushing all over again, but he was interrupted by a man pushing past their table and jostling against Harry's chair accidentally.

“Sorry.” The man mumbled, pushing further into the restaurant and the two boys both looked at him. He was dressed in a poorly fitted suit and held a bouquet of roses in his hand, going around the tables and asking couples if they wanted to buy roses. Harry and Louis both starred at him for a moment, before they spoke again.

“He didn't even ask us.” Harry stated after a while and Louis looked up at him in surprise. He really had not expected him to point that out, and judging from the look on Harry's face right now neither had he.

“My breaking gay heart.” Louis said with a chuckle, grabbing his chest dramatically and Harry gazed at him in relieve, chuckling with him a little.

“My rights are being violated.” He said with a fake sniff and Louis laughed again.

“D'you want me to get you a rose?” He asked with a smirk and Harry blushed yet again. “I'll do it. If you want me to.”

“Err.. rather not.” The younger boy replied sheepishly. “Maybe next time.”

The smile that spread across Louis' face at those words was ridiculous and he knew it himself but he didn't care. Because Harry had totally just implied that there was going to be a second date between the two of them and Louis was this close to hugging the waitress that walked by just in that moment.

Eventually they decided against desert and Louis simply asked for the bill, paying for both Harry and him and then leading the boy back outside towards his car.

“Thanks for dinner.” Harry told him as the got situated in the car and Louis buckled up. He simply grinned in return and started to drive. “Niall and Liam are gonna love it.”

“Love what?”

“That you paid for my dinner.” Louis was still confused and shot the boy a look, waiting for him to elaborate. “Erm.. well before we left Niall said – and I quote – 'He better treat you like a fucking princess or I'll cut that stupid cunt's balls off'.”

Louis felt himself go a little paler under those words, suddenly happy that he didn't know this piece of information before the date. It wasn't that he was actually afraid for his balls, but those two friends of Harry really did seem very protective and Louis didn't want to test them or their patience.

“Maybe we should get you a crown on the way back.” He said drily and Harry snickered at his words, though Louis hadn't meant it completely as a joke.

They rode in silence for the rest of the way and still were quiet when Louis pulled up in front of Harry's house. Louis tried to push the threats in the back of his mind to the side to finish off this date like he would with any other person.

“I'll walk you to the door?” He offered and Harry smiled happily at that, patiently waiting as Louis walked around the car to open the door for him.

“What a gentleman.” Harry teased as he took Louis' hand and let him help him climb out of the car. “Niall and Liam are gonna like that too.”

“Aren't my balls lucky.” Louis said quietly and Harry laughed, taking his hand out of Louis' and the two of them slowly walked up the stairs of the porch.

“I'm gonna tell them you said that.” Louis made a face at those words but Harry shrugged it off. “They're gonna ask anyways and I'm gonna have to tell them something, right?”

“And what are you gonna tell them? Besides the story of my balls..”

Harry laughed again, lacing his fingers nervously. They had reached the front door and Louis was leaning against the door frame casually, gazing up at the curly haired boy.

“I'm gonna say that.. I had a really fun night. And that you really are no cunt.”

“How sweet of you.” Louis snorted sarcastically and Harry grinned.

“It's the truth.”

Louis snorted again and as his playfully annoyed sighs and Harry's quiet snickering died down, deafening silence settle around the two boys. This was the time for Louis to go back to his car, if he didn't want Harry to ask him to step inside – which he most definitely did not. Not when Niall and Liam were still in there somewhere (which they were, judging from the presence of their cars in front of the house), waiting for Harry to get back.

“So..” Harry started after a while, glancing back and forth between Louis, his hands and the ground.

“So..” Louis said also, leaning a little closer towards the boy. “What do you think.. Niall and Liam would say about.. a good night kiss?” The smile on his face was confident and the fact that the one on Harry's face sure as hell was not only made him want to kiss him so much more, and he wasn't sure that if he got denied this kiss he was going to survive the night.

“I think they would like that.” Harry breathed out almost inaudibly and Louis liked this game. He really did.

“Would they?” He teased and he saw the insecurity flicker in Harry's eyes.

“Yes.” The boy replied, though it sounded like a question. And Louis deiced to have mercy on the boy and not tease him any longer, slowly starting to lean in. As they got closer he realized how unsteady his own breath was and blushed a little at the thought that maybe Harry could hear it, but pushed the thoughts aside as Harry's lips came closer and closer to his face.

They were only inches away and their chests were almost touching, but Louis kept his hands pressed flush against his own sides, wanting their lips to be the first thing to be touching.

And they did and it was wonderful and Louis' head swirled in happy strings of pink and red and heart shaped balloons filled with joy. He felt like he had waited for this way too long and all he wanted to do was to turn this kiss from sweet and good-night into a heated battle of tongues. But he kept himself from doing so, not too sure if that was in Harry's interest.

Harry's lips moved against his slowly and he couldn't help from smiling into the kiss when he heard the muffled sound from something hitting against glass – quite possibly the faces of two very excited mates – above their heads.

Louis pulled away and his eyes darted up towards where he expected to be a window but couldn't really see due to the bad angle. Harry must have heard it too and through his heart shaped eyes and slightly wet pink lips he shot Louis a apologetic look. But the older boy only smiled in response, touching Harry's hand quickly before he stepped back and walked off the porch towards his car.

“Good night, Louis.” Harry said quietly and Louis smiled like an idiot as he walked towards his car and climbed in. From the corner of his eyes he could see the front door of the house being whipped open and two very excited looking faces bouncing up and down in front of Harry.

Poor Harry., Louis thought with a smile before he drove off, drifting into 'I-Love-Harry-Wonderland'.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, feedback and all that kind of stuff is always appreciated!


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